Magnetic loose leaf device



Jan. 7, 1964 J. J. KELLY, JR

MAGNETIC LOOSE LEAF DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 18, 1961 Fig.5.

[Ill/[IA I w a a m I I lgl E INVENTOR. JOHN JOSEPH KELLY,JR. BY

ATTORNEY Jan. 7, 1964 J. J. KELLY, JR

MAGNETIC LOOSE LEAF DEVICE Filed Sept. 18, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m mu EmWK H P w (m 0 J N H 0 J ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,116,737 MAGNETICLGOE LEAF DEVICE John Joseph Kelly, Jr., Evanston, 111., assignor toLakeside Central Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation Filed Sept. 18,1961, Ser. No. 138,834 1 Claim. (Cl. 129-11) The present inventionrelates to loose leaf binders, and more particularly to magnetic sheetholding elements for such binders wherein there is incorporated lockingmeans for securely retaining perforated loose sheets within the binder.

More specifically, the invention pertains to a relatively thin, fcldableand flat-opening binder having general ly flexible, integral cover andhinge portions, wherein the sheet holding element is carried by one ofthe cover portions or the hinge portion and serves to define andreenforce the hinge portion between the cover portions of a pair thereofin the closed position of the binder, and wherein the locking action ofthe sheet holding element is enhanced by the coaction of the coverportions therewith.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide a magnetic looseleaf device of the true ring type which permits the insertion or removalof a sheet or sheets of paper located at any point within the binderwithout requiring the removal of the other sheets from within thebinder.

As a salient feature hereof, I provide a ring construction which permitsthe top sheet or sheets of a plurality of sheets in a stack to be turnedover or out of the way while working with a lower sheet of the stack.

Heretofore, attempts have been made to provide a simple, lightweightbinder, susceptible of economical manufacture, which would permit theready insertion and removal of sheets as well as provide for the fixedretention of the sheets therein. However, these attempts have failed toproduce an inexpensive construction which would securely retain thesheets in position without employing complicated latching membersusually involving springurged elements. Heretofore, to accommodate arela tively large number of perforated loose sheets in a'thin type ofbinder, it has been necessary to employ a sheet holding element of suchbulky construction as to preclude its successful and practicalincorporation into a light, inexpensive binder.

In contradistinction, I have devised a novel device whereby thesedifiiculties and objections are overcome. I accomplish this by theprovision of a device wherein a pivotal ring member carries projectionswhich are receivable in complemental notches in the base of the deviceto establish a mechanical latch, when the device is in the closedposition, whereby the magnet associated with the pivotal ring memberserves only to hold this mechanical latch in its locking position ratherthan serving as the primary locking means.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a loose leafbinder of the relatively thin, foldable and flatopening type havinggenerally flexible and integral cover and hinge portions operating incooperative relationship with a more rigid sheet receiving element whichserves both to receive and to retain the sheets for facile manipulation,and also to define the hinge outline and to reenforce the hinge portionbetween the covers in the closed position of the binder.

It is still another object to provide a loose leaf binder of the typedescribed wherein there is incorporated readily operable locking meansfor permitting the introduction of perforated sheets to and thewithdrawal thereof from the sheet receiving element and for securelyretaining such sheets within the binder.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a 3,116,737Patented Jan. 7, 1964 loose leaf binder of the character describedwherein the action of the locking members associated with the sheetreceiving element is augmented by magnetic means provided in the sheetreceiving element.

To make the manufacture of my magnetic loose leaf device a moreprofitable undertaking, the mechanism embodying the essence of theinvention has been engineered in a manner as to be simple in itsconstruction so as to expedite economical large-scale production andassembly, the usual complexity of components having been reduced tooffer a compact design representative of a fundamentally new concept inthe combining and coacting of binder parts. Precision of relativedimensioning of parts as militates against inexpensive manufacture,simplicity of maintenance and care, and consistency of performance inpractical use have been assiduously borne in mind in the development ofthe present invention.

Too, I provide a device of the above-mentioned character in whichruggedness and durability of construction are combined with simplicityof protection against usual but hard conditions of practical use.

As a further refinement of the present invention, I provide a structurewherein the unique features of design are inconspicuous andnon-observable by the average eye so that the user is not made awarethereof.

Another important object hereof is the provision of an improvedconstruction capable of being molded or formed in a very inexpensivemanner and requiring a minimum number of tools or dies for itsproduction, with the structure being such as to permit rapid quantitymanufacture.

Other of the chief objects and purposes hereof are to provideadvantageous structural and operational features in a device of theclass to which reference has been made so as to oifer an apparatushaving the following inherent meritorious characteristics; first,engineeringwise, a uniqueness in design of coacting parts Wherefor thecomponents are coordinated for facile assembly and, when once assembled,are positively and securely retained in operative relationship so as tobe not readily separable from each other, accidentally or otherwise;second, a susceptibility to easy installation; third, the provision of aconstruction which is well adapted to withstand the usage to which amagnetic loose leaf device is ordinarily subjected; and fourth, theprovision of such other improvements in and relating to a device of thetype above referred to as are hereinafter described and claimed.

Further objects are to provide a loose-leaf device conformable to thedesiderata of the preceding paragraph and offering specific improvementsin its various operating instrumentalities, which themselves are minimumin numher, so that it is simple and compact in accordance with thedemands and desires of manufacturers and purchasers alike and so as toprovide distinct advantages in that it is distinctive in its appearance,practical in its value, durable in its organization, reliable in itsoperation and efficient in its use.

These foregoing objects and other incidental ends and advantages will inpart be obvious and apparent and will in part be more fully pointed outas the nature of the invention is better understood in the progress ofthe disclosure below. To the end of attaining these objects andadvantages and others hereinafter reasonably appearing, it will beexplained that the invention consists substantial- 'ly in thecombination, construction, configuration, location and function ofparts, as herein described in detail.

It will be apparent, however, that the physical embodi ment delineated,albeit the preferred exemplification, is only indicative of but one ofthe multiplicity of ways in and purposes for which the principles of theinvention may be employed. Same is submitted as a best known embodimentof the invention in accordance with the patent statutes and is givenwith a view to illustrating and explaining the precise nature of theprinciples of the invention and their embodiment for practical use, inorder that others skilled in the art to which the invention pertains maybe enabled to adapt and modify them in numerous variations andmodifications, each as may be best adapted to the conditions of anyparticular use.

The invention reverted to is not restricted or confined to saidembodiment and same is not intended to be exhaustive of, nor limitingof, the spirit or scope hereof. That is, the precise construction of thefigures of the drawings need not be slavishly followed as, of course,the loose-leaf device may have to be adapted or alternativelyconstructed or modified in accordance with any specific use contemplatedtherefor. Such adaptations and/ or alternative constructions and/ ormodifications are intended to be comprehended within the meaning andpurview and range of equivalence of the below subjoined claim, therebeing no intent to have this invention limited to or circumscribed byany specific details.

The objections of the invention are susceptible of attainment by use ofconstructions different in certain respects from that disclosed, such asminor changes and variations in dimensions, shape, form, proportion,integration, cooperation of material and/ or type of subassembly andaccessory, all without departing from the underlying principles, salientfeatures, scope and spirit hereof.

While all of these objects are attainable in the preferred and disclosedembodiment, it is to be understood that, by utilizing the invention onlyin certain of its aspects, certain of the objects may be attainedindividually or in sub-groups without necessarily attaining all of theobjects. That is, while the advantages of the invention as here outlinedare best realized when :all of its features and instrumentalities arecombined, useful embodiments may be produced involving less than thewhole.

The characteristic features which I consider to be novel with myinvention, as to its construction and organization and as to its methodsof manufacture and operation, will be better understood from aconsideration of the following detailed description forming a part ofthis specification, when read in conjunction with the illustrations inthe accompanying drawing, wherein like characters of reference areemployed to designate like or corresponding parts throughout the severalviews and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a magnetic loose leaf binderdevice embodying the essential features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the magnetic loose leaf deviceshown in FIG. 1, same being shown in the opened or sheet receivingposition;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the magnetic loose leaf deviceshown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing a modified form of theinvention.

In the following description and in the appended claim, variouscomponents and details thereof will be identified by specific names forpurposes of convenience. Although specific terms and expressions areemployed for purposes of identifying various components, they are usedin a generic and descriptive sense only and are intended to be asgeneric in their application as the art will permit. The phraseology orterminology herein employed is not for the purpose of limitation. Theyare not intended to exclude any reasonable equivalents of the featuresshown and described or portions thereof.

With continued reference now to the drawings, which illustrate typicalembodiments of the invention for the purpose of disclosure and form apart of this specification, I have shown a loose leaf binder comprisingcomplemental cover portions 19 and 12 joined by an integral hingeportion 14 with the cover and hinge portions being separated by scoredlines or folds 16 therebetween to provide, when in the folded condition,a bounding area of substantially the height of a sheet receiving elementgenerally indicated by 18. The cover and hinge portions of the binderare preferably formed of a light, flexible material such as paper-board,leather, fabric, plastic sheet, or the like.

The sheet receiving element 18 is adaptable for securing sheets withinthe assembly and comprises a base plate 25; of either a light metal orplastic which may be suitably secured to one cover portion of the binderinternally thereof by any conventional securing means such as rivets 22.

By means of the construction shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 of the drawings,the weight of filler paper disposed within the binder 'will be in thedirection indicated by the arrow a in FIG. 4 when the binder is in useor when it is being carried in the closed position. Thus, no stress willbe applied to the locking means, subsequently to be described, duringnormal handling, or if the binder should be dropped or the like.

Alternatively, and as illustrated in FIG. 6, the sheet receiving element18 may be secured to a hinge portion 114 intermediate cover portions and112 of a binder as by rivets 122. By means of this arrangement, theweight of filler paper within the binder will be in the direction of thearrow b in FIG. 6, whereby no stress will be applied to the magneticlatching means of the "device, subsequently to be described. Further,with this construction, when the covers are closed they will prevent anydisengagement of the aforementioned magnetic latching means which mightoccur should the binder be jarred or dropped.

The base plate 24) of the sheet receiving element 18 will be seen tocomprise a main body portion 24- provided with a recess 26 therein whichrecess is bounded at its opposite ends by a pair of hinge brackets 23.

A touch plate 30 of suitable metal is disposed in a recess 32 ofappropriate size provided in the main body port-ion 24 of the lbaseplate.

Longitudinal'ly-spaced, vertically upwardly extending posts or pins 34are disposed forwardly of the main body portion 24 of the base plate 20and will be of appropriate size to receive a sheet or sheets ofperforated paper thereon.

A ring carrier generally indicated by 40 is disposed within the recess26 of the body portion 24 and is pivoted to the said body portion bymeans of ears 42 extending outwardly from the ring carrier andreceivable in suitable notches or cut-outs 44 provided in the brackets28 of the body pontion 24, whereby said ring-carrier is pivotal relativethereto.

A magnet 46, best seen in FIG. 5 is disposed in a suitable apertureprovidcd in the ring-carrier and is retained within the ring-carrier bya pair of pole-pieces 48 and 50 and a keeper plate 52.

The keeper plate 52, which serves to retain the aforedescribed magnetassembly in position, may either be cemented to the ring carrier or, ifdesired, may be heat sealed in place by deforming the vertical edges ofthe aperture in which it is disposed within the ring-carrier.

The entire magnet assembly just described will be further retained inits position within the ring-carrier 40 by means of a longitudinallyextending ring wire 54 which extends between a pair oflongitudinally-spaced substantially arcuate binding rings 56 and 58'respectively which extend outwardly from the ring-carrier 40.

In the closed position of the sheet receiving element 18, the free endof each binding ring terminates above the base plate 20 substantiallydiametrically opposite to the point where the secured end of the ringemerges from the ring-carrier 40 and, as may be seen from aconsideration of FIG. 2, the free end of each binding ring will be incontact with the upper extremity of each of the posts 34.

A pair of longitudinally spaced locking tongues as and 62 are provided'on the vertical forward face of the ringcarrier 49 and are receivablein the closed position of the device in a pair of complemental notches64 and 66 provided in the rearward wall of the main body portion 24 ofthe base adjacent the recess 26.

In the operation of the magnetic loose leaf device, the ring-carrier 461is swung from the opened position of FIG. 3 to the closed position ofFIG. 1, with the ears 42 of the ring-carrier pivoting within the notches44 provided in the brackets 28 of the base, whereupon the touch plate3%) and the outer pole piece 50 are brought into contact and within themagnetic field of the magnet 48, and the locking tongues 60 and 62 arenested in the cut-outs 64 and 66 provided in the maimbody portion 24 ofthe base.

To move the ring-carrier from the closed to the opened position, arearward pressure may be exerted on the ringcarrier by the fingers towithdraw the locking tongues as and 62 from their nested position withinthe cut-outs 64 and 66 and to release the touch plate 30 from itscontact with the pole pieces 48 and 5t), whereupon the ring-carrier maybe swung upon the pivots 42 to the opened position.

By reason of the arrangement just described, perforated sheets may beplaced upon the vertical posts 34 and the ring-carrier may be rapidlyclosed or opened without the possibility of damaging the sheets, itbeing apparent that the rings 56 and 58 are aligned with the posts inorder to establish a firm contact therewith.

It will also be observed that the locking tongues 60 and 62, rather thanthe magnet 46, serve as the primary locking means, thus insuring againstaccidental or unwanted opening of the loose-leaf device.

Thus, the magnet 50 and the touch piece 30' may be said to constitutesupplemental locking means to produce a positive locking action betweenthe ring-carrier 40 and the base plate 20.

It is believed that the gist of the invention will be clearly understoodfrom the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further analysis thereofat this point is considered unnecessary, as I have, in accordance withthe provisions of the patent statutes, described the construction andprinciple of operation of my invention together with the apparatus whichI believe to represent the best embodiments thereof, to the end thatothers can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for variousapplications without omitting features which, from the standpoint ofprior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of its genericand/ or specific aspects. The substitution of equivalents and otherchanges, modifications and alterations as circumstances may suggest orrender expedient, are reasonably contemplated, the invention beingsusceptible of such without departing from its real spirit or underlyingprinciples.

The protection which is sought for this invention is covered by thelanguage of the above specification and the spirit represented thereby.

The claim is desired to include within the scope thereof all of saidsuitable variations, modifications and equivalents by whichsubstantially the results of the invention may be obtained through theuse of substantially the same or equivalent devices or means.Accordingly, limitation hereof should only be made as detenmined by aproper interpretation of the prior art and the scope of the *subjoinedclaim, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent hereinas broadly as possible.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

In a holder for a stack of paper sheets having a pair of openingsextending therethrough adjacent one of the edges thereof and a cover onwhich the stack of sheets is supported, the improvement comprising, amagnetic loose-leaf device including a sheet-receiving element having abase plate secured to the cover and a longitudinallyrecessed main bodyportion extending upwardly from said base plate, said recess beingbounded at its opposite ends by a pair of hinge brackets extendingrearwardiy from said main body portion, a pair of posts projectingupwardly from said base plate forwardly of said main body portion andreceivable in the openings in the stack of sheets, alongitudinally-extending ring-carrier pivotally connected to the hingebrackets of said main body portion and receivable in the recess thereinin the closed position of the cover, a pair of longitudinally-spacednotches in said main body portion adjacent said recess, a pair ofcomplemental locking tongues on said ring-carrier engageable in saidrecesses in said main body portion in the closed position of the cover,magnetic means in said ring-carrier and a coacting touch plate in therecess of said main body portion of said base plate engageable with saidmagnetic means in the closed position of the cover, and ring means insaid ring-carrier including a longitudinally-extending ring wireembracing said magnetic means and connecting a pair oflongitudinallyspaced substantially arcuate binding rings having freeends engageable with the projecting upper ends of said posts in theclosed position of the cover, said magnetic means and said lockingtongues securing said ring-carrier against said sheet-receiving elementand said rings against the projecting ends of said posts in the closedposition of said loose-leaf device whereby the stack of sheets aretrapped on said posts.

References (lited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS749,021 Boykin Ian. 5, 1904 921,931 Weizenback May 18, 1909 1,797,447Savidge Mar. 24, 1951 2,954,034 Osteen Sept. 27, 1960

